


salpe of los angeles

by papyrocrat



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-15
Updated: 2011-01-15
Packaged: 2017-11-20 06:09:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/582139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/papyrocrat/pseuds/papyrocrat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>  for <a href="http://eleusis-walks.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://eleusis-walks.livejournal.com/"><b>eleusis_walks</b></a>  at the <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/fictorium/30363.html">what-if comment ficathon</a>; prompt <em>darla survives connor's birth</em></p>
    </blockquote>





	salpe of los angeles

**Author's Note:**

>   for [](http://eleusis-walks.livejournal.com/profile)[**eleusis_walks**](http://eleusis-walks.livejournal.com/)  at the [what-if comment ficathon](http://community.livejournal.com/fictorium/30363.html); prompt _darla survives connor's birth_

The world fills with Darla's scream, so think in the air that Fred can't even wince. She's squatted between Darla's feet, wondering how someone who couldn't make the varsity softball team is supposed to catch a _baby,_ for heaven's sake, but it's not like there's time to argue.

"Don't let me hurt it, Angel," Darla pleads, and squeezes his hand until he winces in pain. He nods, and she rends the air with another wail.

Fred didn't know vampires could bleed this much. Angel comes back from a fight with broken skin sometimes, but it's a bright bloom around a clean hole, not this red puddle of anguish that pools through the rain.

The baby comes out, and she catches it just fine, and for a moment Darla and Angel give the baby the same look of wonder. Then the spell is broken, and something snaps in Darla. "There's mommy's little tapeworm. Fred, sweetie. come here for a second."

Angel keeps his eyes trained on Darla. "Fred. Go." She tries, but they all know she can't outrun a vampire, even one whose face is pale with pain and sweat, so Angel gets between Fred and Darla. Fred instinctively pulls the baby close to her chest.

"But I want a picture for my baby book. Wouldn't it be delicious?"

"I said I would protect him. I promised you!"

"He needs protecting from _you._ " Angel growls. "All I was going to do was kill him."

"You're not going to kill him!"

"Hm. No, not yet, anyway. You'll do much worse than that." She gives a sharp, mean laugh, and Fred suddenly understands the word _soulless_. "You're going to be his father."

"That's right. I am. So go."

Darla prowls toward them. "Oh, honey. I'm sick to death of the blood of the innocent."

"That's not going to work on me, Darla!"

"I wouldn't lie. Not to either of my boys." She makes that awful face, the one half between demon and human, and before either of them know what's happening, Darla has sunk her fangs into Angel's neck.

Angel freezes for a moment as Darla drinks and moans, then throws her across the alley. She's standing against the wall when a flaming arrow shoots between them.

Angel glares at the front of the alley.  "You're a little late to the shower, Holtz."

"Ah, yes. My heartfelt salutations on this joyous occasion," Holtz says as he reloads. He's aiming again as Angel's car roars behind them and Charles and Wesley jump out, their crossbows even and pointed at Holtz.

"Take a hike, Dickens," Charles yells.

"You would kill humans, to protect vampires and their spawn?"

Wesley's face stays frozen.  "You have a crossbow aimed at a child, Holtz. Angelus and Darla had no soul. You have no such excuse." Charles shifts his shoulders and takes aim in silent agreement.

Holtz realizes he can't win, not against Angel, Gunn, Wesley, and a very irritated Darla. He waves back his ragtag crew. "This isn't over, Angelus!"

Angel doesn't move except to turn his head towards Darla. "Get. Out."

"Oh, don't worry. He's all yours, my love," she coos at him. "I hope you two are very, _very_ happy together."

Darla flees, and the baby cries.


End file.
